Michigan State Recruiting: 5 reasons Xavier Tillman picks MSU
Sep 09, 2016; Springfield, MA, USA; Tom Izzo, head coach at Michigan States peaks during the 2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony at Springfield Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Here are five reasons why Michigan State recruiting will add four-star power forward Xavier Tillman Friday.
Friday could be a big day for Michigan State recruiting. No, there aren’t any monumental visitors coming to East Lansing, but the Spartans’ 2017 basketball recruiting class may grow by one. Four-star power forward Xavier Tillman is announcing his college decision around 12:50 p.m. ET and many, including myself, believe it will be in favor of MSU.
The Spartans weren’t too high on his list this time last year, it seemed. Heck, even a few months ago it looked like the Spartans had a lot of ground to make up. He released a top schools list a few months back that included Michigan State and not Michigan, proving he was serious about Tom Izzo’s program.
Tillman has taken his final visits and it’s believed that the Spartans are the program to beat while Marquette is close behind and Purdue is third. According to Twitter, he will announce is decision tomorrow afternoon between those three programs.
Here are five reasons why I believe he will be a Spartan.
5. Close to home
Jan 23, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; A general view of Jack Breslin Student Events Center during the first half of the game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Maryland Terrapins. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
This is quite possibly one of the most underrated recruiting tools out there. While many kids are eager to venture far from home for the college experience, it’s always comforting knowing that family can be at all the games and he can go home whenever he wants to on breaks.
Tillman is from nearby Grand Rapids, which is about an hour from East Lansing, so his family can be at all the home games without taking time off work to travel to Purdue or Marquette just to watch him play. Plus, he would only be a short drive away from a home-cooked meal.
Michigan State already has a family atmosphere, according to most recruits, and having actual family nearby can only strengthen that. The pull of having the college experience right near his hometown has to be strong.
Mar 13, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo walks to the locker room after winning the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Big Ten conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Michigan State defeats Purdue 66-62. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
4. Budding relationship with Tom Izzo
Tillman has visited East Lansing and Michigan State countless times in years past and he’s been building a solid relationship with Tom Izzo and the rest of his staff. In fact, Tillman noted the relationship with Izzo was strong after his official visit and even called it an “amazing” trip, according to Brendan F. Quinn of MLive.
“It was great,” Tillman said of his official visit to MSU. “I had a bond with every single player, from Tum-Tum (Nairn) all the way to Kenny (Goins). They’re all great guys and coach Izzo laid out the outline of what he thought I could do.
“We visited different places and I talked to academic advisors. It was just amazing. It was an amazing visit.”
Usually, an official visit is the time when a coach tells a recruit exactly how they would fit in with the system and fellow players. Tillman had a chance to hang out with some other Spartans and connected with them on a personal level and the fact that he called the visit “amazing” means that he heard what he wanted to hear.
Izzo and Tillman seem to have a great relationship and it would take quite a trip for Marquette or Purdue to reel him away from East Lansing.
Mar 18, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Michigan State Spartans forward Matt Costello (10) and forward Gavin Schilling (34) interact during the second half of the first round against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
3. Need for post players
There’s no doubt about it, Michigan State is desperate for bigs. To prove that, Izzo added UNLV transfer Ben Carter this offseason and made last-second offers to some 2016 recruits only to have them pick another school. Taurean Thompson was one of those guys who nearly picked MSU, but the Spartans jumped in too late in his recruitment.
For the 2016-17 season, the Spartans have Kenny Goins, Carter, Gavin Schilling, Nick Ward and Miles Bridges who can all rotate in the post. Bridges is more of a wing player, but with his athleticism, he won’t have that difficult a time fitting in down low.
The lack of big men is concerning for Michigan State and that has to be a draw for Xavier Tillman. Sure, there is already another big committed in 2017 in Jaren Jackson Jr., but Tillman has even stated that his commitment doesn’t have a negative effect on his decision.
Tillman has even stated that the two play different positions so there would be no battling for playing time between Jackson and himself. The fact that he realizes that he would play big minutes and there would be no way he would be an end-of-the-bench guy shows that he already sees himself in the green and white.
Michigan State needs Tillman, and the four-star big man realizes that.
Mar 11, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans coach Tom Izzo coaches against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the Big Ten Conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
2. Tom Izzo can develop with the best of them
Development is another thing that draws some of the nation’s top high school prospects to East Lansing. Not many coaches can develop talent like Izzo can, and proof of that is with Draymond Green, Matt Costello and Denzel Valentine.
Sure, guys like Adreian Payne, Gary Harris, Zach Randolph, Deyonta Davis and Branden Dawson have all made it to the NBA and could each be on NBA rosters next season, but they were all highly-touted out of high school. The aforementioned three above have made the biggest leaps in development.
Green was a three-star prospect who was a big star in the state of Michigan, but relatively unknown to outsiders. He wasn’t expected to be a big-time collegiate player, but Izzo developed him and he became the nation’s player of the year as a senior.
Costello was also an in-state three/four-star and he got better each season and is getting a chance to prove himself with the Atlanta Hawks after a monster senior campaign.
Lastly, Denzel follows that same mold. He was a three or four-star recruit from Michigan and developed into the Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior and nearly took home the Wooden Award.
Tillman has to look at this as a four-star from the state of Michigan and realize he could be the next to be developed into a player of the year candidate. That type of success under Izzo’s best has to be intriguing.
Mar 13, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans celebrate winning the Big Ten Championship against the Purdue Boilermakers during the Big Ten conference tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Michigan State defeats Purdue 66-62. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
1. Playing for a national title contender
Michigan State is going to be a top-10 team to open the year in 2016-17. No, Tillman isn’t going to be on the team this season, but that should be a measuring stick to how good the team will be next year. The Spartans are likely going to be Big Ten title favorites this season and with a stellar incoming recruiting class, that will hold true next year.
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Sure, Michigan State is going to lose some talent from this year’s team such as Schilling and Eron Harris, but the Spartans will just reload with another top recruiting class in 2017-18.
Every year, Michigan State is considered a national title contender, and the 2017-18 season will be no different. Many believe this year’s team has a chance to make it to a Final Four and at least three members of the 2016 recruiting class will return for sophomore seasons.
Imagine the Spartans made a Final Four this year. That’s a scary thought considering they’re only going to get better next year with an equally as impressive recruiting class and another year of experience under the belts of the freshmen.
Purdue and Marquette don’t have the same type of perennial prowess. Just ask Caleb Swanigan how picking the Boilermakers worked out for him.
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